prenaming

Prenaming is the practice of selecting a name for a child before birth or before the child is formally named at birth. Parents who know the sex of the fetus or who prefer to refer to the unborn child by a chosen name may use prenaming in daily speech, in medical notes, or in baby registries and social media announcements. The term appears in sociological and parenting literature as a label for this pre-birth naming phase; it is not a universal legal category.

Cultural and personal motivations vary. Some families choose a name early because of family traditions, for ease of communication with the fetus, or to symbolize hoped-for traits or heritage. In some cases, the prenamed form persists after birth or becomes the child’s official name, though many families decide anew at birth and register with the latter.

Legal and administrative aspects depend on jurisdiction. In most places, a birth name is officially recorded on the birth certificate after birth; parents may later change the name through a legal process if they wish. Prenaming is typically informal, and an initial name chosen prenatally may be used only informally until formal registration.

Critics caution that early naming can create pressure to conform to a chosen identity, particularly if expectations are tied to the meaning of the name. Proponents argue that prenaming supports bonding and early parental involvement. The practice intersects with onomastics, the study of names, and with social norms around naming and gender.